Hetep
by MoonlightDewz
Summary: Now, dear children, pay attention; I have brought you something; I ripped it from my chest. With this heart I have the power to blackmail the eyelids; I sing until the day awakes; a bright light on the heavens; my heart burns. Show me love. Ra and Skaara


Hey, MoonlightDewz here with the revised version of "Hetep" and there are just a few things I would like to say about this story before anyone starts reading.

First, this story does contain yaoi, so if you don't like it then turn back now. That said, the main pairing in this fanfiction will be Ra/Skaara but other pairs with appear as they story continues. Also, this fanfiction can be considered AS or Alternate Story, for while the story of the 1994 movie Stargate relatively stays the same in this fanfiction, Ra appears in Abydos before O'Neil and Daniel come through the Stargate, so some of the characters, such as Skaara, end up not being were they originally were in the storyline.

Secondly, the word "hetep", which is an Ancient Egyptian word, does not have just one meaning. Hetep can mean offering, satisfaction, and/or paradise, among other definitions. The story uses this word to describe Skaara but the context in which the word is used determines the meaning of the word.

For example, when the story refers to Skaara as an object that is owned by Ra, the meaning of the word "hetep" is offering.

Third, I do not own Stargate or any of their affiliations so I am not making any money off of this story and I also do not own any of the song lyrics that will be used throughout this story.

All right, now that I am finished with the author's note, let us begin.

* * *

-- **Hetep** --

By

**MoonlightDewz**

**Image Song:** "Odno I To Zhe" by T.A.T.U and Rammstein

**Summary: **Now, dear children, pay attention; I am the voice from the pillow; I have brought you something; I ripped it from my chest. With this heart I have the power to blackmail the eyelids; I sing until the day awakes; a bright light on the heavens; my heart burns. Show me love, Hetep. (Ra and Skaara)

* * *

**Chapter One** - Hetep-Di-Nesw (An Offering Which The King Gives)

**Suggested Listening:** "Jillian" and "Angels" by Within Temptation

* * *

_I've been dreaming for so long,  
To find a meaning to understand.  
The secret of life,  
Why am I here to try again?_

_Will I always, will you always  
See the truth when it stares you in the face?  
Will I ever, will I never free myself  
By breaking these chains?_

_I'd give my heart, I'd give my soul.  
I'd turn it back, it's my fault.  
Your destiny is forlorn,  
Have to live till it's undone.  
I'd give my heart, I'd give my soul.  
I'd turn it back and then at last I'll be on my way._

_I've been living for so long,  
Many seasons have passed me by.  
I've seen kingdoms through ages  
Rise and fall, I've seen it all._

_I've seen the horror, I've seen the wonders  
Happening just in front of my eyes.  
Will I ever, will I never free myself by making it right?_

_I'd give my heart, I'd give my soul.  
I'd turn it back, it's my fault.  
Your destiny is forlorn,  
Have to live till it's undone.  
I'd give my heart, I'd give my soul.  
I'd turn it back and then at last I'll be on my way._

"**Jillian**" by **Within Temptation**

* * *

The day that the Great Sun God Ra summoned them to his palace, there was a solar eclipse. One of the moons had passed over the sun, darkening the sky to a deep blue, the desert sand of Abydos blackening as if it had been scorched by fire.

The traveling caravan did not stop, unwilling to halt and possibly be punished by Ra if they did not make good time, but Skaara knew that back in the city his sister Sha'uri, left to care for the people while he and his father were away, was probably trying to keep order while the people shivered in fear.

The disappearance of the sun was an ill omen and if Ra was hiding the sun from his people, then it must have been a sign of his displeasure.

People were probably praying back at home, hoping that Ra would not bring his wrath down upon them.

Skaara paused; watching curiously as the moon drifted across the face of the sun and he sent a quiet wish into the air, hoping for his people's welfare, and wondered what could have angered Ra enough to hide the sun.

For unlike the people at home and the rest of the caravan that was afraid to stop should Ra become even more displeased, Skaara was not afraid, for he had never seen Ra, in the flesh or otherwise. The young man had only been a very small child the last time Ra had come to Abydos, so he did not remember any of Ra's cruelty towards the people or the harm Ra's warriors had caused Abydos, because he was too young to remember. However, he had heard stories about Ra's malice from the elders, one of which was Skaara's own elder father.

Ra was a being that enslaved entire races of people, Kasuf had said when the younger children asked about the God they must obey and serve with their lives. A harsh and cruel god, Ra would not give anyone a second chance should they make a mistake or disobey him, and that usually meant death for the person at fault.

So in a world that often meant instant death to its people, the moral of the tales of Ra were always the same. Do what you could to lessen your fellow man's suffering, but make sure to stay silent about any harsh treatment you may receive, from Ra or his animal headed warriors, because you are better off hurt then dead. Your body, heart, and soul would heal in time but only if you were still alive to let it.

Mistakes meant harsh punishment.

Disobedience meant death.

Freedom did not exist.

Skaara did not agree with these teachings. Perhaps some of the elders called him foolish because he was too brave for his own good and was naïve about certain dangers, such as the evilness of Ra. Skaara did not know the maliciousness of Ra like the elders did, but that did not stop him from not being afraid. He was brave and curious about the world around him, a young man that would bring about Abydos' death should he speak up in his ignorance.

However, Skaara did care about his people. His friends and family were the ropes that kept him tied, kept him quiet and stopped the rebellion he wanting to start, because he cared for their welfare. If he was to do anything to anger the great Ra, it would be them that felt the pain of disobedience with him.

So he kept his head down, his mouth shut, and planned for the day when he was a man and could free his people from their shackles. They did not deserve to be slaves and needless to say, Skaara was not looking forward to meeting a god who was known as a tyrant.

His father, noticing Skaara's stillness, turned and came back through the sand, his long light lilac coat almost touching the ground.

"Come, Skaara." Kasuf said, gesturing to his son, "Ra will be angered if we keep him waiting."

The boy turned and came to Kasuf's side, were they continued to walk.

"What do you think Ra wants to see us for father?" Skaara asked, but the King and leader of the Abydos people just shook his head.

"I do not know son, but hopefully the hidden sun does not bode ill tidings for us, although I do not believe it so."

Skaara cast his eyes once more to the hidden solar disk then turned back to his father and spoke.

"I am sure it is nothing to fear, father." he said, "After all, Ra has only appeared within the last day, what could he be angry about?"

Kasuf pressed his lips into a line and did not speak, an uneasy feeling creeping into his stomach.

* * *

When they reached the towering obelisks that marked the opening to Ra's Temple, the caravan and its people were left behind and Kasuf and Skaara headed towards the temple doors alone.

They were met by two guards, one jackal headed while the other falcon, and after a few words between both parties, the Anubis warrior lead Skaara and his father inside the temple.

The inside of the shrine was cooler then outside in the sun and when the three had traveled through the strange ring device it became cooler still, the air a pleasant temperature to the skin. Of course, considering who they were going to meet, Skaara was not surprised that the home of a living god should be a pleasant place to reside; it would be foolish to think otherwise.

Then the jackal headed warrior eased them forward, out of the perimeter of the ring transport, and into an empty throne room.

The chamber was large and airy, the floor was a dark marble and the pillars in the room where made from a strange light colored stone. Statues of hawks framed a chair on a low platform and behind this platform were a set of stairs that led to another room beyond the one Kasuf and Skaara were in. It surely was a room fit for a god and Skaara's ever growing curiosity caused him to look around so he could take in the entirety of the room. Then, when he looked back at the chair that served as Ra's throne, two young children were suddenly standing there, waiting for them.

One a girl, the other a boy, they were both dressed in finery that would almost never be seen on an Abydos child of their age, and they both bowed slightly when Kasuf and his son stepped close to them.

"Lord Ra welcomes you," the children chimed in unison before straightening, gentle smiles on their faces.

Skaara's eyes narrowed in thought, watching the two youths in front of him.

Something was not right; the children were too obedient, too melodious, almost to prefect. Besides, how had they gotten there without making away type of sound? Did Ra demand this type of obedience and silence from all his servants? He opened his mouth to ask, curious and maybe a little concerned, but shut it when the girl came and took his hand in hers.

"Come with me." She said as she looked up at him, that smile still on her face, her voice light and good-natured, almost as if she wanted him to play with her.

He started to shake his head, prepared to tell the child no, for he wanted to stay with his father in such a new place, but the girl was insistent. With her small fingers wrapped around his she tugged gently at him, coaxing him to come with her.

"Please come," she said, looking at him expectantly.

Kasuf leaned closer to his son.

"Go with her," he said quietly, "I shall not be long, and it would be unfair to say no to a child we just met."

"All right," Skaara nodded and let the girl start to lead him away from the comfort of his father's presence. He looked back over his shoulder at his father.

"I'll meet you back here when the meeting with Lord Ra is over." Kasuf said, and with those final words, the young girl pulled Skaara around a corner and he lost sight of his father.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Skaara asked, the girl still pulling him along.

After leaving his father the young girl had lead Skaara through corridors, other rooms, and around such a large number of corners that he had lost count. In short, he wouldn't be able to get back to the ring transport without someone's help, and part of him worried. He'd hate to get lost in Ra's palace and possibly run into an Anubis or Horus headed warrior down a dark hallway.

The girl giggled quietly and spoke.

"You will see." She replied simply, and left it at that as she slowed, paused for a moment, and entered a doorway to what appeared to be a room of sheer, light tan curtains that hung from the ceiling. These hangings of fabric were layered so that a person could not directly see into the chamber beyond it, and because of that Skaara grew curious, wondering at what was hidden behind those veils.

The girl let go of his hand and when the young man went to ask her what this room she had lead him to contained, he realized that she had suddenly gone.

Skaara stopped, backed up a step or two, and looked in both directions for his guide. He scanned the hallway and when he didn't see her, a heavy uneasy feeling filled his stomach and chest.

He couldn't remember how he had gotten to this part of Ra's palace, so how was he suppose to find his way back? There wasn't anyone else in the hall besides himself, and if night fell and he was lost in this place it would be incredibly embarrassing if his father sent a search party looking for him.

Sighing, knowing that it wouldn't do him any good to stand around feeling concerned, Skaara turned back to the chamber of veils, his curiosity returning.

What did it matter if he couldn't return to his father right away? If he couldn't find his way around he would just have to find someone else to help him. There had to be someone else besides children and god-headed warriors in Ra's home, so he didn't need to worry.

Everything would be fine.

He stepped forward into the veiled chamber, and reached out to brush the thin hangings aside.

* * *

"So, Kasuf, does this trade suit you?"

The voice was ripples on a pond, smooth but deep, echoing over themselves for dominance as they inquired, addressing the man bowed before his god.

Kasuf did not look up, did not raise his head from the dark marble floor, for it would be suicide to look into the eyes of a god, especially a god who was proposing something so… sinful.

The unease Kasuf had felt before had coupled itself with a sharp stab of fear inside of him at Ra's idea of a fair trade, and the mixture had turned his stomach into a knot that he couldn't ease. Ra could not be serious, wanting Kasuf to trade the well being of his people for something so precious to him as a leader and a father.

The only thing he could do now was to try and change the sun god's mind.

"Your offer is most kind, my lord Ra, but please reconsider," The King who had to bow to another pleaded, "My son is still a boy, he can be of no use to you."

Features hidden behind a golden mask, the Supreme System Lord Ra's eyes narrowed, his voice echoing over itself to fill the throne chamber.

"I will decide who I can and cannot use." He said, his voice a deadly calm, the eye of the storm, "It is not your place to try and persuade me otherwise."

"Of course not, my Lord," Kasuf spoke, trying to keep the quiver from his voice. In order to keep from angering such a powerful entity he had to tread cautiously, "I meant no disrespect, for the trade you speak of is fair, but why Skaara, if I may be so bold?"

The elegantly robed and masked figure of Ra stood from his chair and made his way down to the man who was little more than a puppet in his eyes. The god stopped when he had reached the floor, his sandaled feet an inch from Kasuf's head.

With narrowed eyes, Ra slightly raised his foot, perhaps to kicked the man before him, silencing all questions or inquires, but then he mercifully changed his mind, instead stepping to his right so he could begin to circle the man on the floor as he spoke,

"Your son is a fine young man, Kasuf." Ra spoke, his mouth curving into a smile that the king could not see as he stepped around the puppet King like a sleek cat, predator and prey, "He will make a fine addition to my court and I only propose this trade because he is in line to succeed you once you pass and is vital to Abydos' survival. I do not wish to be forced to have your people killed if they disobey, so I find that keeping your son captive is the paramount choice. As long as your people do as they are told, your son will come to no harm, and in return I will not have to use so much of my power to subdued Abydos. Do you know the value of these words?"

Kasuf nodded, staying quiet and still, eyes shut, trying to think of a way to save his son from a life in a glided cage as he heard Ra come to a stop somewhere behind him.

"Good," Ra almost purred, eyes slender and pleased, a cat that had taken pleasure in a dish of cream, "I am pleased you understand, so I gratefully accept you hetep-di-nesw."

At Ra's words Kasuf's eyes snapped open, a cold fear grabbing at his heart.

Hetep-di-nesw was an offering which the King gives and at that realization, Kasuf finally understood.

Ra wasn't seeing this meeting as a talk of trade; it was a delivering of goods! Ra had sent for him and Skaara not because he had any intention of relieving some of the people's sufferings, but because he wanted Skaara.

That was why they both were summoned.

That was why the two children had separated them.

That was why Ra had wanted Skaara not be with Kasuf during the meeting, even though he had summoned them both.

Ra wanted Kasuf to give him Skaara!

No. No, he would not let this happen! He would not allow his only son to become a hostage to Ra, especially with Skaara unknowingly oblivious to the entire matter. For even if Ra did keep his word, which was highly unlikely, it was unfair to trade one unwilling life for one hundred others, it just wasn't right.

He opened he mouth to speak, but his tongue became stuck in his throat when he felt a cold metal tipped hand on his back. The touch was implausibly light, but Kasuf could feel the curved pressure of it as if Ra wanted to let his claws pierce the older man's skin, so the man was forced to close his mouth.

If he died, Abydos would crumble to dust. Sha'uri, although strong and wise in her own right, would not be able to rule with both her father and brother gone, not without a husband to help her. Kasuf had to live, for the people's sake, for his daughter, for his son who was soon to be locked in the chains of Ra.

Kasuf shivered and his old heart began beating with fear and despair so he swallowed and had to breathe. He struggled for breath at Ra's feet like a slave, because, in reality, that was what he was, what they all were. Slaves, playthings for Ra's amusement, and Ra could use them as he wished for Ra was a god, and gods could do as they pleased, it was undeniable.

He had been a fool to think that he had a choice in accepting or rejecting Ra's proposal.

'I have condemned my son to be a sacrifice.' His mind whispered in hopelessness, any thoughts of defiance flying from his mind.

Ra's "trade" was all a sham, a farce that had left Kasuf between a rock and a hard place, and he could do nothing for himself, or his son.

He almost began sobbing, cursing his foolishness out of anger, but Ra began to speak, voice sinful and mocking and he quieted to listen.

"I will be sending my warriors into your city to obtain supplies over the next few days, so make sure you give them what they need. Now, leave this place and take you caravan home so you can care for those you have not lost. I wish you a safe journey."

Kasuf did not look up when, with those final stinging comments, Ra's hand lifted, the god turned on his heel, and walked away, leaving a broken King without his son, his heir, on the floor.

* * *

Skaara did not know what had happen between his father and Ra, did not know that he was now a slave in Ra's palace, did not know that his father was being lead away by Horus headed warriors, back to the caravan and that they would be forced to leave without him.

At the moment, he was luckily and blissfully ignorant of such things. Instead, his fingers brushed lightly against the soft veils of gauze to an unknown chamber and he stepped forward, intent on sating his curiosity.

What he found, after passing at least three walls of hangings, was a large and richly furnished bathing chamber. A deep pool was placed in the center of the room, partly shielded from stranger's eyes by soft hangings of sheer, and finely carved tables lined the walls, holding jewelry made from beaded gold and precious stones.

The other part about the chamber was that it was occupied by no more then seven people.

Three females and four males, none of them seemed to be in states of undress for bathing but Skaara decided to dismiss himself anyway, slightly embarrassed about interrupting the activities of strangers.

Mumbling quick apologizes he tried to back up through the wall of veils and find the doorway, but before he had taken two steps he bumped into something behind him and had to stop.

Looking back, Skaara caught sight of a light-skinned, powerful looking man, whose body was covered with armor and had a staff weapon clenched in his right hand. The man sneered down at Skaara like the young man was something nasty he had stepped in.

Skaara turned and stepped back, away from the warrior and towards the people in the bathing chamber who appeared to be no older then children. Squashing the urge to flee, the prince of Abydos decided that if these people meant him harm then he would fight them if he must, even though he had no weapons and had heard stories of the damage the warrior's staff weapon could do.

"Is this the boy Ra wants?" the warrior asked, the sneer never leaving his face.

The people in the chamber, who were dressed as finely as the children Skaara and his father had met before, bowed deeply to the warrior.

"Yes, First Prime," A girl who was older than the rest of the group but was still a child, answered, "We are to prepare him for Lord Ra and send him to the lord's chambers."

"Then get on with it." The First Prime stated, "Lord Ra does not like to be kept waiting."

The girl bowed again, and spoke,

"As you wish," Then she turned her eyes towards Skaara and she smiled gently, the same gentle smile the other children had used, and beckoned to him.

"Come, do not be afraid," she said, her eyes kind, "You will come to no harm."

Skaara eyed her suspiciously, not completely trusting her. For what was all this talk of Ra wanting him, or preparing him? What was he being prepared for?

However, here Skaara looked at the First Prime out of the corner of his eye, the girl would be easier to handle should Skaara what to escape, and the warrior First Prime didn't seem to like him very much. So, weighing his options, Skaara walked away from the warrior, and his escape route, to go closer to the girl.

Perhaps she would answer some of his questions.

She took his hand when he came near enough to her and with her fingers wrapped around his she lead him closer to the pool, which was when the other children in the room slowly closed in around him.

It was only when he felt a small hands take hold of the cloth at his shoulders, trying to pull it away from his skin that his body twisted and he tried to back away to get out of the children's hold, his mind startled at what the children were trying to do to him.

Eyes somewhat wide, he tried to get away, but the children hands wouldn't release him and he didn't want to rip himself free for fear of accidentally hurting them.

"Please hold still, Prince Skaara," The girl who had lead him into this rather embarrassing situation said, sounding amused, "We can not bath you properly if you do not undress."

Skaara stilled, shocked at what the girl had just said, which gave the children a moment to pull at him some more, and over at the doorway the First Prime laughed at Skaara's plight.

"What is the matter?" he asked, chuckling at Skaara's uncomfortable position, "Why are you so frightened, Prince? They are only children."

"Well, yes," Skaara amended, his one hand holding onto the cloth at his shoulder, trying to keep his clothing on, "But I do not usually have people undress me, with or without my consent."

The warrior let out another laugh.

"Well you best give them your consent then," the First Prime paused in his mirth, "Because they're about to tear your clothes in two."

Unfortunately, he was right; for some of the younger children were growing frustrated that their charge was not cooperating. They stared up at him from near his waist, as that was about how tall they were, and tugged on his clothing, eyes softly narrowed with small pouts on their faces.

The eldest girl turned to Skaara and when she spoke, she sounded worried.

"Please do not do this, my prince," She said, "We have so much to do and so little time to do it in, and Lord Ra will be angry if you are not in his chambers on time."

"All right, hold on." Skaara said, putting his hands up in a calming manner.

The tugging at his clothes lessened and he allowed himself to sigh for a moment, his right hand coming up to rest at the back of his neck before he spoke again,

"I understand that you all have your duty and I will allow you to do it," he said, "But first I would like to lay a few ground rules."

"Ground rules?" The First Prime interjected, sounding a bit angry, "What right do you have to lay rules for Lord Ra's personal servants, boy?"

'Personal servants?' Skaara thought, as he looked around him at the children's faces, 'Ra has children as personal servants?'

"Ground rules indeed," The First Prime continued to mutter, "If I was in charge then this would not be happening, you would be outside the Temple walls eating sand, boy!"

The warrior's tone turned slightly threatening so Skaara drove his thoughts away, planning on divulging on them at some other time.

"I may not have a right to give rules to Ra's servants," Skaara shot at the First Prime, "But I do have a right to tell them when they are making feeling uncomfortable, so kindly leave so I can do what your Lord Ra wants of me."

The warrior's eyes narrow into slits, and it almost seemed like he was going to start yelling, but at the last moment he closed his mouth, huffed angrily, and turned away, disappearing in the wall of veils, probably to keep guard on the door from the hallway.

After his departure, the eldest girl spoke up once more.

"Please tell us what you wish of us, Prince Skaara," she said, the worry in her voice growing, "We do not have much time left."

Skaara sighed again and spoke,

"First, try to calm down," he said, pointing at her, "Second, please do not call me Prince, no one calls me Prince, I am just Skaara, all right."

The faces around him all nodded, eager to please their new charge.

"Besides," Skaara continued, addressing the group at large, "I can undress myself, you don't need to help me."

"Lord Ra enjoys it when we help him," Another small girl said, quiet and shy, her age somewhere between the age of the eldest girl and the ones that were clinging to Skaara's waist.

Skaara stared down at her, trying to figure if she had just said what he thought she did, and when the shy little girl ducked behind the eldest girl's leg to hide, the older one decided to elaborate.

"Lord Ra's outfits are very intricate, and he cannot remove them on his own," She said, "Besides, we believe he enjoys all of the attention."

The children all nodded again.

"Right, well…" Skaara mused, then sighed once more in slight frustration, "I am not Ra, but if we are running out of time, as you say, I suppose it would be best to get this over with. However, please do not rush me all at once and I'd rather not wear something I cannot take off on my own, if that is all right?"

The eldest girl nodded, a happy smile on her face, and stepped forward so they could begin again.

Unfortunately, despite Skaara's new ground rules to Ra's personal servants, the young man still ended up in an embarrassing and rather painful position. For while he allowed the children to undress him, no longer willing to fight against their determination, they also insisted on getting him clean, and that included try to comb his hair.

Getting his hair combed was an… interesting, but painful experience. For even though he tried to keep his long brownish hair tied back from his face and out of the desert wind's clutching fingers on a daily basis, the strands of his hair still ended up being an incredibly tangled mess and this mess needed to be straightened, according to the children.

However, after a good amount of pulling on his hair with at least three different combs, and Skaara's protest at being treated to such torture, the children gave up, deciding to leave some of the smaller tangles in and hide them by braiding.

"I am sorry," The eldest girl said as she braided her charge's hair into many little braids, the hair damp and soft from washing, "We shall have to try again at a later time."

"Do not worry about it." Skaara said, his voice coming out in a light hiss since he had gritted his teeth against the pain to his scalp.

Then, when he was clean and his hair finished, Abydos oil was smoothed into his skin to take away the worst of the sun's harshness and keep his skin from drying out. However, as the oil seeped down into Skaara's flesh, it made his skin feel tender, and he hoped that no one would touch him an excess amount until his body stopped feeling so…strange.

Then, the child servants of Ra began discussing what Skaara should wear for his meeting.

Some of the children said one thing while the rest said another, and some quickly changed their minds in the middle of the debate. Once, Skaara tried to interject that he could just wear his old clothes, but he was steadfastly ignore.

In the end, a wrapping of white linen was chosen to envelop Skaara's waist, and a robe of silk draped from his shoulders, open to revel his chest and the linen kilt. They also secured a loose chain necklace at his throat and golden bands encircled his wrists. When they were finished the children nodded with approval and Skaara looked down at himself, not to sure if he enjoyed showing that much skin to a god, especially since his skin still felt so oddly sensitive.

The whole thing made him feel a bit vulnerable, like he was a virginal sacrifice, if he was to be honest with himself.

He only hoped his father -

A rough cough at the door interrupted his thoughts and when Skaara looked, the First Prime had returned, looking at him with a critical eye.

"Well," he said, eyeing the young prince up and down, "At least you aren't a total waste."

Eyes narrowed at the insult, Skaara opened his mouth to retort when the First Prime cut him off once again.

"Follow me," The warrior said, walking to a different doorway off to the side of the room, this door also veiled by tan hangings, "And do not get left behind."

So, with a quick thank you to the children, Skaara moved to catch up with the First Prime warrior and disappeared among the veils.

* * *

The hallways with the dark marble floors and cream walls were painted red from an eternal glow, sharp slats of light entering through the windows to make the walls burn with the dying of the sun.

Through this hall of fire and heat a lone, golden figured walked, the mask he was wearing slowly being drawn back into its place of storage for later use.

Rolling his shoulders once to release a bit of tension trapped there, Ra walked towards his chambers, already planning what he would do to the hetep that the King had been so gracious to deliver.

For Ra had had his eye on the young man for quite sometime, keeping watch as the child grew and matured, making sure that the boy grew up healthy and strong. The tau'ri prince would need that strength to carry out what Ra intended him for.

It was nice to finally claim him as Ra had planned all those years ago.

Effortlessly, a smiled made its way onto the god's face.

He had told Kasuf that he was using the boy for control, that he would keep Skaara captive to deter any thoughts of disobedience. However, that was not entirely true, for while he did plan on using the prince to stop any rebellion, he was keeping Skaara for another purpose as well.

In the red and dying light, Ra's smile turned sinful.

* * *

"Stay here." The First Prime commanded, leaving Skaara alone in a highly decorated sleeping chamber.

A soft looking bed had been placed near the middle of the room and nearby, tables that were made of dark polished wood with intricate images carved into the legs and the tops were laid with papers, golden ornaments, and other objects that Skaara was unsure of what their use or propose was. Silk drapes hung from the ceiling, partly hiding the bed from view, the same way the bathing pool had been hidden.

As the man left, Skaara noticed that the sun was setting, the sky painted red by the light, and he lightly bit his bottom lip. It was going to get dark soon, and he still didn't know how to return to the ring transport. What was taking so long, and where was his father anyway? Surely Ra could not be holding them over night, could he?

Realizing that fretting about his predicament was still not going to do him any good, Skaara began to slowly circle the room, inspecting his new surroundings, awakening his curiosity once more.

Then, when he reached a space between the bed and a table that held a bowl of fruit at its center, he heard a whisper of movement, cloth against skin, perhaps, and he quickly turned towards the sound, for he had been certain that the room had been deserted before he had entered.

At the edge of the bed a strange young man was sitting, looking at Skaara with amused dark eyes. It seemed that he had been watching the prince inspect the room.

Skaara had hoped to find someone other then servant children and animal headed warriors in Ra's palace, but he did not foresee on finding Ra himself.

For Skaara knew immediately that this young man was the sun god Ra, he knew it like he knew he breathed air.

Ra's body was encased in a robe that was made of silk and satin, the cloth hanging off Ra's shoulders and arms as if the material were bird wings. Soft linen had been wrapped around Ra's hips and legs and golden bands encircled Ra's wrists and ankles, with glided metal slipped onto the god's slender fingers. However, all this finery did not prove that Ra was a god; instead it was his form and manner that showed Skaara the truth.

Proud and slightly aloof, Ra was a creature with dark all seeing eyes, skin that was warm and lightly tanned, long smooth black hair, and a lean and sinuous body. He was slender and fey, a sexual and sensual creature and some of these attributes showed by the chemise he was wearing. For it was what was underneath the silk and linen that caught Skaara's attention the most. Golden and formfitting, the cloth that made up the rest of Ra's outfit was made of golden plating that had been layered to look like reptile scales, the cloth and metal having been slit down the middle in a V cut, exposing the flesh of Ra's throat, part of his chest, and a thin slip of his stomach.

Skin that was, to Skaara, just pleading to be pierced by an archer's arrow, stabbed by a hunter's knife, slit by a warrior's sword.

In a way, it mystified the prince of Abydos.

By showing such delicate flesh, Ra was making himself look vulnerable and at first glance Ra may have seemed frail or weak because of this, easy prey for a stronger man, but as the god sat there, completely at ease with a stranger in his bedchamber, Skaara knew the truth.

A sharp mind with deadly power at his control, Ra was a dangerous foe of soft flesh and silky hair and it would be unwise to cross him, for the sun god could kill anyone he chose, whenever he chose.

Skaara only hoped that someone would not be him.

Now, Skaara probably should have bowed before the sun god, got on the floor with his forehead pressed against the ground like a subject, a servant, or a slave, and hoped Ra would not be offended that a mortal was inspecting a god's bedroom, but his body wouldn't move.

Part of him was afraid, frozen with dread, because for all his bravery, the man sitting before him was still Ra, a god that had created a civilization of slaves, a god that killed anyone who displeased him, a god who Skaara had never met, only heard horrible stories about.

On the other hand, the other part of Skaara was filled with his bravery and defiance.

Ra had separated him from Kasuf, made Skaara feel incredibly embarrassed, and treated Skaara like a lost child, having his servants lead Skaara down unknown paths with no hope of returning.

Squaring his shoulders and standing as tall as he could without getting on his toes, Skaara narrowed his eyes and walked slowly towards the living god. It was time that his questions were finally answered.

"Where is my father?" He demanded, stopping a few feet from Ra, giving himself just enough room so that he could escape should Ra try anything.

The god smirked, one eyebrow raising, clearly amused by his new hetep, but decided to give the young man what he asked for.

"He is gone." Ra said simply, his voice mirroring itself.

Skaara's back went completely ridged, a small frightened tingle running up the length of his spine, taken by surprise by Ra's voice. The voice was unnatural, it didn't sound like it should have come from Ra's mouth, and Skaara knew that if Ra yelled, then his voice would probably crack like lightening. However, despite Skaara's surprise, the prince swallowed and spoke again.

"Gone?" He questioned, feeling like a stone was trying to wedge itself into his throat with his unease, "What do you mean… gone? What has happened?"

The god shrugged lightly, dismissing the matter but spoke for Skaara's benefit.

"He is safe, but he has met with the caravan and they have returned home."

"Home? They left me here?" Skaara blinked, disbelief and unease starting to transform his features.

"Yes," Ra nodded, "Your father traded you to me for the health of your people."

At first, Skaara slowly shook his head no, his eyes locked on Ra, trying to deny what he feared was true. He knew his father cared for the people of Abydos, the man would willingly put himself in danger, even die, if he felt that it would protect his people, but did that mean he would also trade his son to a slaving tyrant? Had Kasuf made such a sacrifice to protect the needs of the many against the needs of the few?

Did he actually expect for Skaara to go quietly?

Gritting his teeth, Skaara brought a hand to his chest and tried to control his breathing so his heart would stop beating so frantically.

He had been traded away, given like a gift, without his consent.

He was a hetep, an offering that was neteryt, belonging to a god.

His father had betrayed him, abandoned him by giving him to Ra.

No, he had to calm himself. His father loved him and Sha'uri both, and Kasuf would never trade his children away without their consent, especially when he knew that they would be in danger. Even if Skaara's bondage was for the good of Abydos, Skaara knew that Kasuf would not have traded him to Ra willingly, not without telling Skaara what was to become of him at least. Skaara just needed sometime to himself to breathe, time to adjust to the new position he had been forced into and calm himself.

He bit his bottom lip, trying to think, trying to decide what he should do, and through his indecision he heard Ra's voice beckoning him.

"Come," The god soothed, "Sit down, you will feel better in time."

Skaara looked at the god for a moment with narrowed and slightly wary eyes, silently weighing his options about going closer to Ra in his mind, and when he couldn't see the harm in it he moved slowly with hesitating movements, for while he did not trust the young man sitting on the bed, Skaara felt like his legs were going to give out on him for some reason. He had to sit before he was forced to the floor, and, his pride demanded, there was no way he was going to crumble to Ra's feet. At least by sitting on the bed they appeared to be equals, even though they weren't.

Turning around, Skaara sank on to the bed in a sitting position near his people's god and pulled his knees up to his chest. Perhaps it was a childish position that showed weakness, but at that moment Skaara didn't care. All that mattered was that he could have sometime to himself to think and plan.

By being owned by Ra, Skaara had been cut off from every familiar presence he had every known. The people of Abydos, his friends, Sha'uri, his father, they were all out of his reach, destined to become distant memories for him because he knew that they would not be coming back, at least not for him.

The idea of never seeing his family again made Skaara feel rather lonely, and while he didn't want to forget, wanted to return to his family and friends, wanted to return home, he knew that he couldn't.

He had been bound by his families' ropes, so even if he was no longer connected to the people he kept himself silent for, even if he was forced to forget about them, they could still be hurt by Ra if he became too outspoken.

He was bound in the chains of Ra because he didn't want the people of Abydos to be hurt, and because of that, all the people Skaara cared for were gone.

He was all alone, or at least he seemed to be, but he wasn't, not completely, not yet.

As Skaara had thought and planned, Ra had shifted upon the bed, slowly and smoothly moving closer to Skaara without the young man's knowledge, and while Skaara sat there the god leaned behind him and Skaara could feel the heat of Ra against his back.

Curled behind his back, almost touching but not quite, Ra's presence made Skaara's back go straight as a board, his skin shivering for a reason he couldn't explain as the heat rose from Ra's form to touch him. At first Skaara thought his flesh was trembling with fear, but he quickly dismissed the idea because he wasn't afraid. Instead, Skaara's emotions were a mixture of unease, because his mind was telling him not to let Ra touch him, and another emotion he couldn't name. It felt like anticipation, but that could not be right because there was nothing that he was waiting for. So, unable to make up his mind on what he was feeling, Skaara looked behind him to see what Ra was doing with a slightly confused and somewhat wide eyed look on his face.

The god was leaning behind Skaara's back, his body lengthened out so he could reach the nearby table that held the fruit bowl, and Skaara stared at him. The metal scales of Ra's outfit flashed gold in the sun's waning light, the silk and satin robe fell in soft sheets over Ra's slender body, and the linen that enveloped Ra's hips and legs sensually brushed against the god's skin. Dark hair was spilling over Ra's shoulders and back, and when the god moved, smooth and graceful, his overall appearance resembled a winged serpent.

Smoothly scaled and elegantly plumed, the sight of Ra laying there made Skaara's throat close up on him and he had to swallow to reopen it, for Skaara had to admit to himself that Ra's form was rather pleasing to look at in all its finery. However, the young man had to wonder if Ra would look that good on a daily basis, specifically if he did not have all that fine clothing on his body.

Surprised by his own thoughts, Skaara quickly drove the last thought away, putting it in the back of his mind as something he probably should not be thinking about, especially since Ra was male like himself. Then he saw Ra's dark eyes quickly shift up to meet his and he turned away as if he'd been caught doing something naughty.

He missed the sinful smile that graced Ra's face, the god's eyes softly narrowed to show his pleasure and expectation.

Ra moved slightly so he could sit up, but he did not return to his previous position at Skaara's side. Instead, with his body curving around Skaara's back, he reached over and an apple was placed in Skaara's hands by slender, lightly tanned fingers that were encased in glided metal.

"Eat, you will need your strength," Ra said, his double voice vibrating through Skaara's body because he was so close.

Skaara blinked, looking at the red fruit in his hands, and took a breath to relax him. His back hadn't relaxed, mostly because if it did then Skaara would have been that much closer to Ra, but he stayed quiet for another few minutes. He didn't move to eat the food offered him, and Ra sat quietly throughout the entire ordeal, coiled around Skaara as if he was a snake and his hetep was prey, waiting patiently for the young man to speak.

Then, finally, Skaara swallowed again, his form eased into a more relaxed position and he spoke, his voice clear and firm.

"Why?" he asked, turning his eyes to the golden lord who had him trapped, locked in a cage as easy quarry, "Why did you accept the trade? Really, what good am I to you? I am not a child that can serve you, and I am only human, so I doubt I will be any use to you as a guard or warrior, so what am I here for?"

Ra answered swiftly, already formed words falling from his lips.

"You are here to secure the balance between the people of Abydos and myself. Your life will be sacrificed if your people disobey me, but in return for their compliance you shall be safe and I will not use overly harsh matters to deal with any small defiance."

Skaara's mouth was a tight line as he spoke.

"So my role is to stay alive until there is a rebellion and then let you take my life?" The prince asked pensively, non-to eager to hear the god's answer. He had a horrible, sinking feeling that he already knew what would come from Ra's mouth.

"If there is some sort of insurgence against me," Ra began, his head turning to look away, "Then yes, I will take your life."

"Oh," Skaara breathed, turning away and pressing his chin against his knees, his eyes studying the silk sleeve on his arm and the gold band wrapped around his wrist.

Both of his wrists had been ringed with gold and a chain of gold hung from his throat, but despite their value they still symbolized slavery to Skaara. Cuffs and chains of rough metal would have been more fitting in his situation, considering that he was little more then a slave, a prisoner, in Ra's home. It was also actually slightly disconcerting that the children had had to fuss over him so for no purpose; they had gone through so much trouble with him and he'd probably end up being locked away somewhere in Ra's palace after everything was said and done with.

"Well," Skaara began, not really paying attention to what he was saying, "I suppose all the humiliation and torment I was put through was for nothing then. If my only purpose is to stay alive until you kill me then I would probably be better off in the dungeon."

Skaara knew he had been rambling, his mind busy with his thoughts and slight uneasy at Ra being so close to him, but at the word "dungeon" he clamped his mouth shut.

He was already a prisoner, bound not only by the ropes of his family, but by the god's slender body almost wrapped around his own on the bed, the chains of Ra. He did not need to give Ra any ideas to make him any more miserable or anxious.

Slowly, Skaara turned to look back at the being leaning behind him on the bed, slightly troubled of what he would see.

Ra was looking at him, a smile curving its way on to the god's face despite his efforts to keep his mirth hidden, and then the sun god chuckled.

Skaara expected the laugh to be harsh, cruel, and echoing, loud enough to drown out his own thoughts, but it was not. A gentle rumbling was coming from the center of Ra's chest to slip up his throat and echo out into the air.

If Skaara closed his eyes, he could almost imagine that Ra was purring.

Skaara blinked, and Ra's laughter began to subside, the god fixing the prince with another amused glance.

"Your words are true," Ra said, a softly wicked smile still on his face, "However, it would be a shame to spoil you by throwing you into a cell, especially when the children did such a fine job on you."

Then, slowly, one of Ra's hands lifted and, easily taking one of Skaara's longer braids of hair between two fingers, brought the thin plait to the god's lips. The touch was careful and gentle, soft and kind, and Skaara could only stare, words becoming stuck in his throat as the apple he had been holding dropped from his hands to land somewhere on the floor.

Lord Ra looked over the thin braid of hair with dark, slender eyes, drinking in the sight of the offering he would partake.

Said offering gulped nervously, eyes widening slightly in confusion as his unease grew, and he decided that whatever Ra was planning on doing to him, he could procure himself at least a little reprieve if he kept the god talking, so Skaara asked a question.

"S-So what do you plan to do with me, then?" he asked, mentally kicking himself for stuttering. Now was not the time to become overly nervous.

Ra's smile did not change, but something unworldly and unnatural flickered in the depths of his eyes, memories he did not wish to remember coming to the surface. Ra looked away for a moment, but did not release Skaara's hair. Instead, he decided to twist it tenderly around his index finger as he thought.

"Throughout my life I have met many different individuals," Ra began, eyes slowly returning to Skaara's face after a time, "Some of them were loyal followers, others were enemies, and sometimes one became the other. I have had slaves, servants, acquaintances, consorts, warriors, confidants, sexual partners, wives, and children. However, none of them has ever made me content, not one of them, and when I thought I had finally found what I was looking for, it always ended up being a sham, a trick, or a trap to destroy me."

"These… people that tried to harm you," Skaara swallowed, deciding to ignore that Ra had answered his question in a very round about way that just bewildered him further, "What happened to them?"

Ra's eyes narrowed as he looked down, a frown on his face and when he spoke it was in a double voice that was filled with a suppressed anger and a bit of melancholy.

"They displeased me, so I disposed of them." He stated, "They did not deserve mercy from me after what they had done."

Inside of Skaara, his soul shivered, fear for his own life quivering inside of him. He had been right about Ra being dangerous, but he kept going against his dread.

"If that the case, then why do you want to try again?" He asked, quashing his fright so Ra wouldn't see the unease in his eyes.

Ra's eyes snapped up to meet his, and by the look in them Skaara knew his answer before the god even spoke.

"That one is easy," Ra said, smiling in a predatory like fashion as he leisurely leaned closer, his chest almost touching Skaara's back, silk, satin, and linen sensually brushing against the god's skin, "I do not like to lose, so I will continue to search until I find what I am seeking for, even if I must go through a million lovers to find the one I want. Besides, I do not like to turn down a challenge, no matter what form it takes, for it takes the monotony out of life."

Ra was exceedingly close now, hovering behind Skaara's back as the god prepared to overcome the young man sitting in front of him, and by the way the Abydos prince could feel Ra's warm breath against the back of his neck he decided that the god was much to close for comfort.

Skaara tried to lean forward slightly, his legs lowering so his feet could reach the ground, but the dark plait of his hair had not been released; instead Ra's hand had reached up and had tightened its hold into the hair at the base of Skaara's neck, and while it did not hurt him, Skaara knew that if he tried to pull away, Ra would probably not release him.

Behind him, Ra's free hand reached up and slowly came down on Skaara's shoulder, fisting at the silk material there, and Ra spoke, his voice a deep and sexual purr,

"I wonder if you taste as good as you look, my hetep."

_Satisfaction_.

Skaara just had enough time to take in Ra's words before he felt the silk of his robe slide away from his shoulder and warm lips touch his tender skin, quickly finding the incredibly sensitive area between his neck and his shoulder.

Skaara's eyes widened at the feeling but the prince did not move, his hands fisting into the sheets underneath him instead. He did not make a sound, and even with his mind screaming in warning, telling him that he should rip himself away from Ra and flee, his stayed still, his breathing and heartbeat beginning to quicken because he could not believe that any of this was happening to him.

He had been taken from his home, traded away to a god, a being that he did not know, and now that same god was touching him in a way that was beginning to make his very skin scream with foreign feelings and unfamiliar emotions.

Easing Skaara's head up with the grip he had on the young man's hair, the god's eyes dark narrowed slits, Ra's hot tongue slipped between his lips to taste his offering's throat and Skaara gasped, his body quivering with alarm at his pleasure.

The feelings that were washing over Skaara's skin and diving deep into his body were both: beautiful and ugly, wonderful and horrible, pure and sinful. It felt as if fire was racing over his skin, trying to burn its way through his body to his soul, and he almost cried out, a scream freezing itself it his throat as he leaned back against Ra and into the god's embrace.

Ra smiled in sin against his hetep's vulnerable throat and proceeded in tasting him, interested in what other sounds he could coax the boy to make.

It was so easy for Skaara, letting himself fall to the pleasurable feelings Ra was awaking in him. So easy to just let go and let Ra devour him, body and soul, even though Skaara's mind was still screaming, wailing in warning for his safety, and Skaara knew it would ache, both emotionally and physically, if he tried to pull away.

However, this was not want he wanted.

He did not want to be taken from his home, his friends, and his family to become the sexual plaything to the sun god Ra.

Ra was a tyrant that hurt innocent people for his own pleasure and used countless people to fulfill his goals.

He did not want to be sexual bonded with someone who most likely only see him as an object and did not love him.

Ra was a being who used children as servants and forced them to protect him with their own fragile forms if enemies should arise.

Skaara did not want this, not like this.

Ra was an evil that needed to be vanquished, slaughtered so he would never rise again.

Nonetheless, it was only when he suddenly felt Ra's sharp teeth closing down on the flesh of his bare throat that Skaara balked, jerking himself to the side to get away from Ra as if he had been burnt. There was a horrible wrenching at his hair but Skaara didn't care, he just reached out a hand and took up a knife that had been left on the nearby table.

Skaara twisted, there was a flash of the knife's blade and Ra was knocked down, his slender frame pinned down onto the bed underneath Skaara's body, the blade at the god's throat.

The only sign that Ra was angry or uncomfortable with his treatment was that the hand in Skaara's hair had tightened its grip, but except for that, the god looked up at his oppressor with cool narrowed eyes and a steady form as Skaara looked down at him with wide eyes, his body trembling against what he needed to do.

He needed to end the cycle of pain and fear, tears and slavery. He needed to slay Ra while he still had a chance. He knew the animal headed warriors most likely would kill him once he poured Ra's blood all over the linen sheets, but it was all right. If he could free his people, everything would be all right even though he needed to take a life, sacrifice his own purity of mind to protect those who he loved, just like his father, a man, would have done.

Nevertheless, he had one more question he wanted to ask, a question that had been plaguing him since he had been summoned along with his father in Abydos.

"Why?" he demanded, trying to keep his hand from shaking, "Why did you choose me?"

Ra continued to look at him, making no movement to fight back and Skaara began to have second thoughts. It was one thing to kill someone who was trying to kill you, but to slaughter an enemy that was not even struggling was no better then being a murderer.

Ra spoke.

"I chose you because your people care you for," he said, "So I knew I could obtain you without to much of a fuss if I made it appear that you would be under the threat of death if your people did not behave. By using the pretext of trading you for Abydos' health, it was easier to keep the real reason I wanted you a secret from the people."

"So you lied," Skaara said, his teeth clenching together in an anger that was starting to boil inside of him, "You never had any intension of honoring the trade, instead you took me away from my family and everything else I had known for your own selfish desires?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Skaara demanded again, the flat of the blade pressing against Ra's collarbone, against that vulnerable slip of skin that was not protected by golden metal scales.

"I did it because you were prefect from the moment I saw you." Ra replied, his features never changing, "I thought you might have been the one I have been searching for."

"But why me, there must be hundreds of other people in Abydos, why did you single me out?" Skaara asked, "Do you think that you have the right to do as you please, that you are a pearl among swine?"

The answer to Skaara's question came quick and unexpected, a small tightening of the tug at his hair. A person did not usually disagree with their soon to be murderer, but then again, Ra wasn't a person.

"No," Ra said, his voice a breath on the wind, a quite sadness in him, "I am a pearl among pearls."

Ra's words were cryptic at best, but what caught Skaara's attention were not really the words, but the being that spoke them.

Ra was looking up at him and while the god's outward expression hadn't changed all that much, Skaara could see that there was something different about him. Before, Ra had been confident and almost aloof, sure in his power and position and worthy of both. When he had touched Skaara, when he had kissed and tasted Skaara's skin, the god had known that Skaara would enjoy it and it had pleased him. However, Skaara had begun to notice as Ra spoke that there was something lying underneath the confidence and aloofness that Ra was slowly showing him.

There was a loneliness in Ra that was slowly seeping through the god's shell of self confidence, showing itself to Skaara. A tried and sad aloneness that Ra was constantly trying to rid himself of, to cure himself of, was eating away at the god's insides. He had tried so many times, used so many beings to try and fill himself, to save himself, and yet all he had to show for it was that his resolve was slowly being eaten away from him.

He tried to find someone who could help him and when he failed, his determination crumbled and he died just a little bit more.

In the end, the loneliness inside of Ra would crush him, despite all of his attempts at finding contentment.

He was lonely and endlessly tired because of it, and as Skaara looked down at him, the prince's own resolve began to crumble.

Ra had been hurt, both by his enemies and those he called friends and lovers, and yet he was willing to try again, even though he knew that he was only causing himself more pain.

Skaara's hand shook, and he was unsure if he could actually drive his knife into the neck of this poor creature.

Yes, Ra was a horrible being, but he had not tried to hurt Skaara in anyway, not really. It had been cruel of him to make up a false trade in order to obtain Skaara, but, Skaara reasoned, if Ra had been straight forward about his intentions in the first place then they wouldn't be here. Besides, Ra did not seem like the stories Skaara had heard, harsh and terrible. Instead, the god had been kind to him, gentle, and sensual.

Then, as Skaara looked down at the being his people called a divine god, the prince began to wonder.

What would it be like, he thought, to be the one to cure that broken loneliness in Ra's body?

What would it be like, to sooth him when he was sad or angry?

What would it be like, to taste Ra's hot tongue, to feel it in his mouth while Skaara's fingers glided down the soft, unprotected skin of a god whose flesh was bare of his finery?

Besides, did it really bother Skaara that much that Ra was male? A kiss was a kiss after all, and a gentle touch could evoke the same feelings from a person whether that touch was from male or female hands, so did it real matter all that much?

Moreover, did he want to find out the answers to his questions?

He briefly wondered and then Skaara mentally shook himself, steadying his hand, pressing the sharp edge of the blade against Ra's bare throat, the blade almost cutting into skin and drawing blood.

A real man would have killed Ra by now and not have any of these thoughts.

A real man would have not even cared about Ra's loneliness.

A real man would…

Would…

Squeezing his eyes tightly shut, hand tight on the knife, Skaara bit down on his feelings and lunged.

It was quick; the barest of touches, but it was done.

Skaara could feel the gentle rise and fall of Ra's chest as the god's breathing faltered, could feel the pulse in his neck shuttering as they both lay there, pressed against each other. The hand at the back of Skaara's neck slightly loosened its hold and Ra's eyes eased shut, no longer willing to keep his eyes open. Skaara's hands were hot and wet from were that lay on Ra's throat, and the knife lay near by on the bed.

The blade… was clean.

The lips that were touching Ra's mouth left just as quickly as they descended, the lightest of touches Skaara could create, a gentle caress to quiet his own racing heart and to begin to fulfill his own curiosity.

Yes, he wanted to know, he wanted to learn the answers to his questions, and he wanted to sate his curiosity, even if that meant he was walking down a path from which he could never return.

He wanted to feel Ra's fire racing down his skin, he wanted Ra to touch him to awaken feelings that he didn't understand, he may have even wanted Ra to claim him, possess him, devour him completely until he could not longer scream, but even he wasn't sure about those desires.

Ra was breathing, trying to regain the air that Skaara had stolen from him, his heart uncharacteristically fluttering when Skaara had moved towards him. Skaara's hands had become wet from his own nerves, his skin becoming hot and damp from the nervousness in him.

Ra swallowed, and Skaara felt the god's throat move.

Then, as the Abydos human and the golden god lay there and shared a breath of twilight air, Ra's eyes opened once more and with Skaara leaning over him he pulled the young man down to him again, taking control as he eased Skaara's mouth open to taste him with his hot tongue.

Skaara's body trembled at the feeling of Ra's tongue in his mouth, the god's body moving against his own, metal glided fingers slipping under his clothes to touch his skin, easing him into feelings that were overwhelming him and making him gasp, and even though he was leaning over Ra, Skaara was not the one in control.

He had no idea what he was doing, he just shivered and gasped as Ra's touched him from underneath, reacting to the god's sexual actions, and Skaara drank it all in, greedy for more. He tried pulling at Ra's clothing so he could touch the god, yet he was unable to undress him when Ra was lying on his back, so Skaara opted for slipping his hands behind Ra's shoulders so he could hold the god against him and feel his heat.

By comparison to Ra's own dressed form, the silk robe that had covered Skaara's, back, arms, and chest was removed, slid off by impatient, metal glided fingers, and those fingers slid against Skaara's skin, the feeling different but not completely unpleasant against his flesh.

Skaara lifted his head, breaking the shared kiss so he could breathe, and looked down at the beautiful creature lying underneath him. Then, as Ra looked at Skaara with softly narrowed eyes and a face that showed his slowly growing impatience, Skaara's eyes found the exposed skin of Ra's chest and stomach.

Before, he had seen the exposed skin as an invitation to do Ra harm, but now he was beginning to see the flesh as Ra probably had intended it to be seen.

Warm tan skin that was begging to be touched and tasted with lips, teeth and tongue, Ra was trying to entice him, charm him into lowering any guard the young man may have had, for Ra wanted to make Skaara his, fully and completely, and in order to do that the god needed Skaara to be generally willing in letting Ra claim his body.

Skaara gulped again, some of his nervousness returning in tiny waves, unsure if he should give in to the new desires that had awaken in him. For he wanted so badly to touch the god's skin, to see what the god's skin felt like under his fingertips, but as stated before, Skaara had no idea what he was doing. He had no clue what would feel pleasurable to Ra or what could possibly harm him, and Skaara did not want to do something that they would both regret in the morning.

However, Ra never planned on giving him a choice in the matter.

As soon as the god had seen Skaara's eyes trail down to the sun god's bare flesh and Skaara had paused, unsure about continuing, Ra decided to do an action that he knew would coax Skaara into releasing his tau'ri desires.

Easily reaching up, making sure that Skaara could see him moving, Ra gently placed his thumb against his own chest and slowly pulled it down along his skin, watching with satisfaction as Skaara's eyes followed his movements.

"Do you desire this body?" the god whispered teasingly, eyes narrowed to be dark and soft, terribly inviting and as his fingers passed his stomach, Skaara's eyes widened.

Another small swallow of unease came from the prince's throat, but the young man slowly nodded his head and quietly breathed, "Yes."

With slightly narrowed eyes, Ra looped his fingers behind his hetep's head before he slowly pulled Skaara closer to him once more, they lips almost touching.

"Then come and take it." Ra coaxed, his voice a seductive little hiss, just before he gave Skaara a quick kiss to hearten and gently tease him.

When the god pull his lips away from Skaara's he could see how the young man's eyes had narrowed softly in contentment, and with another gentle tug from Ra's fingers Skaara's head dipped and the tau'ri brushed his warm lips exceedingly tenderly against Ra's chest, kissing the god's skin.

The smile on Ra's face turned pleased and so he let the young man on top of him feel the gentle rise and fall of the god's body as Ra sighed in pleasure; satisfied with the partner he had chosen, for Skaara was such a naïve and trusting young tau'ri, so unlike the others of his kind and the others of Ra's kind.

Skaara was brave and defiant; for he had not fallen to his knees in a display of quivering and obedient fear when he realized that Ra had been near him, unlike the others Ra had met. Skaara was also full of stamina and strength, and clever as well, quick witted and curious, and those attributes pleased Ra enough to let the young man share his bed, share his body.

Hathor would be seething if she knew what her "beloved" was doing with the boy, twisting with rage inside her sarcophagus, locked inside it as she was and unable to use her charms while Ra was allowed the freedom to choose his own sexual desires.

The idea made Ra smile, a dangerous and malevolent leer on his face.

For unlike Hathor's, Skaara's touches were hesitant and halting, but soft and warm, his sun-soaked skin brushing tenderly against Ra's own, creating a friction that made the god sigh in pleasant comfort. The young prince touched Ra's body lightly and slowly because he was unsure of his own actions, not because he was afraid like most of the tau'ri lovers Ra had taken.

Skaara was not afraid, filled with dread and willing to be obedient just so he would not anger his god. He was inexperienced surely, for he was untainted, virginal, and chastened, but that could be remedied easily enough, Ra would just have to teach the boy through familiarity and reoccurrence.

However, now was not the time to start teaching lessons of touch and taste, for with Skaara's lips and fingertips touching the god's skin, Ra was beginning to become edgy with hunger and impatience, his own touches become faster and more heated, quick and eager to take control and claim his hetep.

Nevertheless, he still had control of himself. With his body still bound in his clothes, and no way to remove the garments without help, Ra remained serene and composed, his desires bound inside his body. Moreover, perhaps he would have stayed this way for a time if Skaara had not unintentionally given him a "gift" for his compliance.

It had started out very simply and innocently of course. One of Skaara's hands had still been resting behind Ra's shoulders; unable to touch the god's skin through the metal scales, and the young man's fingers had been slowly moving about on their own accord, hovering near the edgings of Ra's shirt collar.

Then, before either of the two males on the bed realized what was happening, Skaara's fingers slipped down the back of Ra's shirt to touch the sensitive and responsive flesh on the back of Ra's neck, and the sun god recoiled at the touch.

Pupils suddenly slitting like a cat's, Ra's body jerked on the bed, hands fisting into Skaara's hair as the god let out a deep and strident hiss that was filled with a contrast of intense pleasure and an ominous warning.

The tau'ri hetep, Ra's human offering, had stepped across a line he should have never touched, and Ra grew sinful and hungry.

Skaara had lifted his head when Ra's body had baulked but he did not have time to move to correct his mistake. Instead, with Ra's hands clamped almost painfully into the young prince's hair and the god's breath and heartbeat beginning to race, Skaara found himself suddenly flipped over onto his back, pinned to the bed with the god Ra holding him down.

Then, as the prince of Abydos tried to regain the breath that Ra had knocked out of him, he looked up at his people's god. In the dying light of twilight Ra was bathed in a golden crimson, the light making his form appear as if he was made of fire and flame.

However, it was his expression that received Skaara's full attention. The god's eyes were incredibly dark and hard, obsidian stones that held a ravenous greed in their depths and there was a smile on the god's face that was too wide and much too hungry to be sane. Then, as Ra's heighten emotion made his eyes glow white, Skaara felt a shot of horrible unease pierce his skin and slide through his body.

Ra was just so avaricious, so hungry, that he was being driven mad by his desire and Skaara's touch. He had tried so many times to find contentment, only to be disappointed, that he was starving, famished, and in need of a warm, if not completely willing, body to sate him.

Skaara stared, for he knew that Ra would claim him that night, burn away his virginity as a fire sears away a drop of water, and Skaara would not be able to stop the god no matter how brave or strong the young man was.

The thought was more then a little unsettling, so it was understandable that Skaara almost leap out of his skin when he felt Ra's hands move against his flesh, the god's head dipping to lie on the prince's bare shoulder as if he was weary, and perhaps he was.

Weary of the same sexual dance, the same sensual acts, the same disappointing loneliness that continued to eat at him, not letting him rest until he was consumed by it and fell into either depression, madness, or apathy.

In Skaara's opinion, no creature, no matter how evil or misunderstood, deserved such a fate, and so, moving almost painfully slowly, for Skaara did not want to shift his fingertips away from Ra's neck and possibly cause another disquieting reaction from the god; Skaara easily wrapped his free arm around Ra's body.

Then the young man whispered, soft and quiet, to Ra and addressed the god in a way that he saw fitting, for Skaara thought that simply using Ra's name was rather personal and Skaara was not willing to call Ra a Lord or a God to the deity's face.

"Shen?" He asked quietly, trying to obtain Ra's attention.

Against the delicate skin of his throat, Skaara felt Ra's lips move.

_Shen_ was the symbol for eternity and was usually held by a winged serpent when it was written. Considering that it almost seemed that Ra had existed for eternity and that he was a Gou'ald, winged when he had first taken a host, the name seemed fitting. Of course, Skaara did not know any of this, and that very idea amused the god, how clever but unknowing Skaara was, so Ra's answer came quickly, as if he had only been waiting for Skaara to ask.

"Set me free, my hetep," He hissed quietly to the boy, "Help me undress, so that I may claim you as my own."

With only slight hesitation, Skaara's free hand drifted slowly over Ra's clothing, trying to find a purchase of loose fabric in which he could pull at, but he was met with the same results as when Ra had been laying on his back. There just didn't seem to be a way of getting Ra's clothing off of him, for while the satin robe could be easily removed, the golden scales that covered most of the god's back and chest were rather stiff and only shifted slightly when touched. Including the fact that the linen that was wrapped around Ra's waist, hips, and legs like a pair of pants was somehow attached to the metal scaled shirt, Skaara just couldn't see how Ra could live in such clothing, let alone take it off when he wanted.

Frowning, Skaara announced his failure and had to ask, "How?"

Ra shifted against him, growing horribly impatient with the wait and yet incredibility impassioned for it as well, the desire in him growing for something that was withheld from him.

"There is a tie in the center of my upper back," he said, his mirror voice shivering over Skaara's skin and through the young man's body and like a caress, "Untie it."

Reaching with his free hand the young prince reached under the satin robe at Ra's shoulders and quickly found the tie that Ra had described.

Made of soft leather, the tie was placed between Ra's shoulder blades, and since Ra had limited movement in his coat of golden scales, he could not reach to that part of his back and undress. It was up to Skaara to free him from his bindings and ease him.

Skaara's fingers closed down on the leather, but he hesitated, unsure about what was the best action to take.

On the one hand, he felt obligated somehow to ease Ra, to sate him and keep him from drowning in a pool of his solitude. After all, Skaara reminded himself as he felt Ra's hot breath against his skin; he was the one who had driven the god into such a feral and ravenous state.

A good person did what they could to ease their fellow man's suffering, and Skaara was a good person, just like his father, Sha'uri, and his friends back in Abydos, so if he could lessen some of Ra's unease with his service, then he should, no matter what that service called on him for.

On the other hand, Skaara needed to think of himself. If he freed Ra, then he may be seriously injured, and on the slight chance that Ra would not ravage his body beyond repair, Skaara was unsure if he was ready to be sexual bonded with another being, be it a god or otherwise.

However, Ra was still not going to give Skaara a choice in the matter.

The god shifted once more, his fingers drifting down Skaara's body towards the young tau'ri's legs so he could slip his own body between them, and Skaara had to hold back the gasp that was threatening to escape from his mouth when glided metal touched the cloth covering his inner thighs, coaxing him to split his legs.

The young man stretched out his body and clenched his teeth against the feeling, fire burning down his skin, his head tilting up to expose his neck, and as Ra settled between his legs, moved so close to him that Skaara could feel Ra's wildly beating heart as if it was in his own chest, Skaara realized that Ra was just like him.

With a heart that was thrumming under his skin, heat rising from his body, and breathing that was shallow and quick, Ra was able to feel hunger, pleasure, and loneliness for he was a being of flesh and blood and bone, just as Skaara was.

Ra was not all powerful, able to detach himself from the world around him, able to not let the world affect him if he chose not to do so, not in the way that the Abydos people believed he could.

He could be hurt.

He could feel pain.

He could suffer.

Just like Skaara could.

Then, at this realization, Skaara finally knew the real truth about how Ra was killing himself, for it wasn't just Ra's failure that was hurting him, making him lonely, but something else entirely.

_These… people that tried to harm you…What happened to them?_

Every time Ra tried to get close to someone, tried to let someone save him, he let his guard down and gave a little piece of himself to that person.

_What happened to them?_

He let them know him, know his secrets and his weaknesses, and when something went wrong, that person had to be dealt with accordingly should they use those secrets against him.

_What happened to them?_

Harsh imprisonment of wives, terrified and angry screams, a lovers blood spilt on the bed sheets.

Bloody murder and death in chains was what met Ra's lovers.

Ra killed or imprisoned those that betrayed or displeased him, and with their silence, those little pieces of Ra, those parts of Ra's heart, died with them. Ra was letting his heart be torn apart to protect his body, but in the end, his heart was what was keeping him alive.

If he kept searching, kept tearing himself apart every time he failed, he would continue to suffer until there was nothing of him left to care.

Skaara knew that if he wasn't what Ra was truly searching for, then he may be dead by morning, a blade stabbed into the young man's back and his lifeblood pooling from his lifeless body onto the bed, red dripping to the floor.

The mental visualization of his death and the realization that it may actually happen was enough to make Skaara swallow with unease, and Ra, those petal soft lips were against Skaara's throat, felt it and tightened his hold, almost as if he was afraid that Skaara would run from him.

However, Skaara would not run like a coward, hide from his fate like a frightened child. Death was his eventual fate since he was human and if he was meant to die by Ra's hand, then so be it, but he would meet his death head on with his head up, and he would fight it until his very last breath left him if he could.

He would not cower in a corner.

He would not allow Ra to suffer any longer.

So, despite his new knowledge, Skaara pulled at the tie binding Ra, and he released the god who could feel pain. He tugged and pulled at slips of satin, metal scales, and slices of linen until he could feel Ra's heated skin under his fingertips and Ra shuddered and twisted his body to free himself from his bindings, like a snake trying to escape its old skin.

After the satin robe and the golden scales were gone, the linen around Ra's hips and legs loose and soft, Skaara's hands curled upon Ra's bare shoulders and into the god's dark fine hair. He held on, knowing what was to come, and as Ra's hands ran along the young man's body, planning on touching every inch of him before claiming him, Skaara decided to speak.

"Shen?" he gasped, his body shuddering in pleasure against Ra's metal tipped fingers, not knowing if Ra was even still listening to him, "I have never…"

He trailed off, deciding that it probably wasn't the best idea to tell a god that probably already knew that he was virginal and unbroken, not out loud anyway. Besides, it was incredibly embarrassing for a boy to admit that he had never slept with anyone before, so Skaara decided to reword his statement into a question.

"Will you be gentle with me?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer.

Ra paused for a moment, showing that he had heard his new and chaste hetep, and after he had moved to look Skaara in the face, he pressed his lips against Skaara's. The kiss was soft and tender at first, but Skaara could feel how Ra was trembling, quivering with the effort he was using to restrain himself and it confirmed what Skaara already knew.

On Abydos, marriage was sealed by a union of the bodies as well as a union of the hearts, but there was not to be any love in this binding. Already the softness of Ra's kiss and touch was dying away, leaving only the hunger and suffering underneath. Skaara knew that from that point on, everything would be fast, sharp, heated, and deep.

Ra would not be gentle, not if he was to obtain what he wanted, and despite that, Skaara was willing to allow Ra to claim him, even if it was without love.

He would not allow Ra to suffer, not anymore.

Skaara shifted against Ra then, reached over slowly and softly, gently slid one of his fingers down the back of Ra's bare neck, like a drop of warm rain against the god's skin, a lover's caress, just so he could show Ra that he no longer had to shiver against his restraints and suffer.

Against Skaara's mouth the young man felt a breath as it was hissed between the god's teeth and lips, showing Ra's pleasure and forewarning, but the sound was quieter and more willing then the first time Skaara had touched the back of Ra's neck.

Then, Ra stopped shivering, and he kissed Skaara, deep and hungry and fast, his tongue thrusting so far down into Skaara's mouth that the boy was almost surprised that he didn't choke, and heat slid down deep into Skaara's throat, trying to sear his insides. Skaara's finger clenched around Ra's shoulders as Ra quickly tugged at the remaining cloth that was wrapped around Skaara's body, and Skaara felt his own heart beginning to speed along with Ra's own. The temperature of Skaara's body rose with his increasing desire when Ra broke away from him for a moment, and Skaara was forced to breathe, his breath coming to him in deep gasping pants because with Ra's fingers dancing down his sensitive skin like blades coated with liquid flame everything was just going so fast.

However, he would not allow Ra to suffer, not when Skaara wished to be claimed just as much as Ra wanted to possess his body.

Every inch of Skaara's body was beginning to cry, his skin highly sensitive and screaming to be touched, tasted, devoured by Ra. His body was begging to be claimed, and as he continued to pant for air, a noise like a gasp and a scream trying to fly from his throat as he felt Ra's fire against his skin, he asked Ra a question.

"You… intended for this to happen,… didn't you?" Skaara asked, panting against Ra's skin, his voice gently quivering into Ra's body, "You knew it would… be like this?"

_You knew I would want you to claim me._

Ra just smiled, hungry and predatorily, and as his narrowed eyes flashed white, Skaara tightened his hold on the creature that was to become his lover and braced himself for the storm that was Ra's desire to engulf him.

When Ra claimed him, possessed him, body and soul, the pain for Skaara was sharp. It shot up through his body like liquid fire and filled him was a heat that burned his very soul almost to his core. However, the heat never touched his heart. He gasped and tried to muffle his cries by pressing his mouth against Ra's shoulder, his hands clamped almost painfully on Ra's shoulders and in the god's hair, but it felt as if Ra had ripped his heart from his chest. His life was fluttering wildly like a caged bird in Ra's metal glided hands and because of that Skaara screamed.

He screamed from sinful pleasure and blissful pain, twins in any sexual union and screamed because for all his bravery, compassion, and innocence, he was frightened, saddened, and angry that he had to be bonded to Ra in this way, at being wrapped in his families' ropes by love and thus bound in Ra's chains by pity, chains that he would carry until he died.

He would never be free.

He screamed until his throat was raw and his lungs ached, and then he screamed again, just to hear his cries echo as Ra's voice had done.

Freedom did not exist.

Ra would not suffer, but Skaara would.

_

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_

This world may have failed you,  
It doesn't give the reason why.  
You could have chosen a different path in life.

_The smile when you tore me apart.  
You took my heart,  
Deceived me right from the start.  
You showed me dreams,  
I wished they'd turn into real.  
You broke a promise and made me realize.  
It was all just a lie._

_Could have been forever.  
Now we have reached the end._

"**Angels**" by **Within Temptation**

_**

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**_

Ancient Egyptian Translation

**Hetep** - Offering, Satisfaction, Paradise

**Hetep-Di-Nesw** - An Offering Which the King Gives

**Neteryt** – Belonging To A God

**Shen** – Eternity, held by a Winged Serpent

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**Coming in Chapter Two–** They say that a man's greatest desire is created by something that he can not have, and this is also true for a certain male gou'ald. However, a tree that refuses to bend to the wind's force will fall and one that bends to much will break, so which one will you be, Skaara?

**Suggested Listening for Chapter Two **(Possibly Subject to Change): "I Want You" by Savage Garden

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All right, chapter one is complete, and for those of you wonderful readers who have read this far: Thank You So Much and Please Review. Reviews make me happy. They also motivate me to write and post the next chapter faster then if I received no reviews at all so please give me your comments. Once again, thank you and I'll see you in the next chapter.


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